The Human Within
by danners3
Summary: Todd has been captured offworld by Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne, found injured beside his crashed dart.  They keep him a prisoner and are surprised by certain changes that begin to manifest themselves.  They enlist the help of Dr Keller.
1. Chapter 1 Flashbacks and Changes

CHAPTER 1 –FLASHBACKS AND CHANGES

He felt the cold damp of the ground beneath him, and taking an experimental breath, tasted the dank texture of the air, inhaling the mustiness. He was half sitting, half lying, his back pushed hard against the cold wall and he felt the uncomfortable pull on his wrists. His arms were pulled above his head and testing them slightly, felt that they were shackled, obviously secured to the wall further up. He groaned, pain erupting throughout his body and strained to remember how he had come to be here.

He recalled briefly, that his dart had been hit and losing control, he had felt it spiral downwards, towards the planet surface, a planet whose name he could not remember. He only remembered pain, an explosion of some sort, then blackness. His next memory was of awakening here, in this cold dark room and he had no idea who had captured him or where he was being held.

A flash of pain shot through his head and he leaned over to groan, feeling the blackness spiral once more up to meet him and he lost conciousness. As he spiralled through the blackness, he saw a glimmer through the darkness, a woman, pale and transparent and as always, out of reach. He saw a little boy, a human boy who looked up at the woman and she looked down at the boy with love in her eyes, love that as a wraith, he had not known. He felt the pain of those memories, shooting through him with the intensity of a sharpened sword, foreign somehow, in his wraith mind, yet familiar. Then the blackness returned and he remembered the feeling of such sadness, reaching out his own hand through that darkness to find the hand of the woman who only brought love and warmth. Now long since out of reach.

He awakened some time later to the sound of a key sliding into a lock, and staring towards that area of the dark that the sound came from, he watched as a dark rectangle slowly moved, letting in a measure of light that had him blinking and cowering just a little. The darkness, while bringing fear, also brought anonymity. He would now have to face those who had captured him.

"He's awake Lorne. Can't have been hurt that badly. Either that, or already beginning to heal himself." The voice belonged to Colonel John Sheppard, and as he pushed the door open wider, he was joined by Major Evan Lorne, who carried a tray with food.

"Don't know why we're bringing him this Colonel. Wraith History 101? They don't eat this sort of food... just saying!" Lorne grumbled slightly, holding the tray in front of him and walking further into the room, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the sight of the crumpled wraith they had captured the day before last.

"Well we're not going to provide him with the food source that he really needs, so this is all he gets for now. I'm thinking, that if he's really hungry, he'll eat. If not... there's plenty of rats down here who are not quite so fussy."

"On that note Colonel, may we leave now?" Lorne's look of distaste now encompassed the dark corners of the room where he had seem the glow of red eyes.

"Not scared of rats are you Lorne?" John deliberately chose to ignore his muttered reply about a certain Colonel and his fear of spiders, instead he took the tray from him and moved closer to the wraith prisoner. His head was bowed slightly, and John, placing the tray on the ground beside him, reached down and took a hold of his long white hair, characteristic of most wraith, and pulled sharply, effectively jerking his head up and forcing his gaze to meet that of the Colonel.

"When we bring you food... wraith...a simple 'thank you' would be... polite." Getting no immediate response from the wraith he gazed into those deadened eyes, and felt himself falter just a little. Yesterday, they had been a bright reptilian yellow. Today they had... changed. No longer just yellow, they had begun to darken to a tawny brown and with closer scrutiny, John also noticed that the waxy pale skin had changed also. Just enough for him to notice that something was happening to this particular wraith. The pigmentation was just a little darker now, and the greenish tinge that the waxy texture seemed to have had almost gone. This particular wraith possessed a starburst shaped tattoo, centred around his left eye. When they had first captured him, this had stood out in stark relief, and John knew that the individual tattooing and patterning of the skin, was an individual marking, each one applicable to an individual wraith. However, John could not help but note that the tattoo marking had faded just a little.

Feeling small fingers of unease run through him, he let go of the long hair, assuming that the head would droop back down to it's original position, but the half brown, half yellow eyes continued to gaze at him with something close to understanding. John mesmerised, looked into the depth of those unusual eyes, saw a flicker of memory, then felt a sudden stab of pain as he felt the wraith push pictures of pain and mayhem into his mind and he fought to stay upright during this onslaught, his closed eyes and pinched features, the only outward sign he gave that this inner turmoil was happening.

The wraith chose to speak now, watching carefully the emotions that were chasing one another through the Colonel's eyes. On one level he understood these emotions and acknowledged them.

"You bring me this food... human... and expect me to be grateful? Grateful that you keep me chained down here like an animal? I do not show fear of your race and I will not cower before you. You use your primitive restraints because you fear me and you fear what I can do to you. What I will do to you when I am free. And you can trust this... human... I will be free and your life force will be the first I take. I 've seen what you hide inside, and it will sweeten the taste when you become mine." He growled at John, attempting again to open his mind and force communication that way, but it hurt, and the ease with which he usually managed this form of communication, appeared to no longer be there. He faltered slightly at the sudden inability and John paused, feeling the slight, tenuous connection that flickered between them, gone quickly before it could take hold.

John, picked up a plate from the tray, and held it just under the mouth of the wraith. " Good manners dictate that I allow you to eat, not the food you would prefer of course, but I'm guessing you'll make do for now. No hands I'm afraid... like any other animal, you'll just have to use your mouth to eat." and forced the plate towards his mouth so that the wraith had no choice but to take a mouthful and either swallow or spit it out. He chose to eat, it was not the sustenance that he required, but it would suffice for now. He turned his face away when he had taken his fill and John lowered the tray, allowing the other inhabitants of this cell to take their share once the humans had left.

John stared down at him. "It is not fear you see in these eyes, wraith. It is disgust! Yes, I treat you like an animal, that is exactly how you view and treat the entire human race - a herd of animals for culling? Why would you expect my treatment of you to be any different? So fear you? No... pretty much wanna kill you? Hell, yeah! But perhaps alive, we have use for you yet... I'll let you know when the update comes through on that one!"

John moved toward the door with Lorne now, stopping only when he heard the wraith's soft voice. "Why do you not kill me human? Is this a game to you? What do you wish to achieve by keeping me alive."

John glanced back, choosing to respond. "Answers... from you, we will get answers..." and turning they left the room, closing and locking the heavy door behind them.

John leaned heavily against the door once they had left the cell and gestured for Lorne to wait. "Did you notice anything odd about him Lorne? Different?"

"Other than the fact that he's a wraith... not much more different as far as I'm concerned. But no, I preferred not to get as close to him as you obviously seem comfortable with. Why?"

"His eyes and skin, changing... from when we captured him. There's something … different... about him now. I think we need to bring Elizabeth in on this, and get Dr Keller out here to take a look at him. Elizabeth's been talking about needing to continue our study of the wraith, particularly the DNA and this would give her a good opportunity to get those science teams working on the DNA sequencing again."

"She's gonna be pissed that we kept this from her to start with... and remind me? What was our excuse again? Just to make sure we get our stories straight..." Lorne's usual dry humour was not lost on the Colonel, and gave a self deprecating grin, recalling in his mind, two days ago when they had encountered the injured wraith.

They had been on a routine mission to P3X721, taking supplies to a small village that had been cut off due to severe flooding from one of it's rivers. One of the villagers had managed to get across the river and get a message through the stargate to Atlantis, and Colonel Sheppard had volunteered to take Lorne to fly in some supplies across the flooded river. Completing a flyover of the flooded area, they had noticed a downed ship, and setting their jumper down beside it, had immediately seen the injured and unconscious wraith, assuming at first that he has dead. And jumped back very quickly in alarm, weapons drawn, when they had seen his hand, his feeding hand, twitch. They had known that Elizabeth had been making noises about the capture of a wraith, but needing time to push her further to make her decision, they had decided to shackle the wraith, and had transported him to a disused laboratory on P2T349. However it was time to come clean with Elizabeth.

_Lorne was right _ John thought. _Elizabeth was going to be pissed._


	2. Chapter 2 A Secret Revealed

CHAPTER 2 – A SECRET REVEALED

"You've done what Colonel Sheppard? Please don't tell me that you and Major Lorne captured a live wraith and are holding him captive, in secret and you've only just now decided to tell me?"

Hands fisted on extremely trim hips and a not so pleasant expression on her normally attractive face, Dr Elizabeth Weir glared at her first and second military commanders, thinking that this perhaps would come under the category of missions that required a certain creative licence when it came time to write up the report.

"If it makes you feel better... then I guess I don't need to tell you that...?" John hung his head just slightly, thinking that it was already going a little better than he had envisioned. His first scenario had her with a slim hand firmly around his neck, squeezing hard. _Better that than another part of my anatomy_ he thought somewhat irreverently, then caught Lorne's eye, who was trying to look everywhere but at the irrate Dr Weir.

"Colonel Sheppard. Sit down right now and tell me exactly what you have done. Leave NOTHING out, and I mean NOTHING. You, Major Lorne, may be excused as I am quite sure that most of the blame for this rather irresponsible act is going to rest squarely on your commanding officer's shoulders."

Lorne cast a quick glance at Sheppard who mouthed "dismissed" and he needed no further urging after that.

"Everything, Colonel Sheppard!"

"Yes mam..." he sighed. _Well it could have been worse John, you've still got all your body parts..._

She did calm down somewhat once he had finished his story and even looked more than a little interested when he outlined a possible plan for them to study the wraith, considering that he appeared to be undergoing some physiological changes. This was the deciding factor as they really had very little information about how their bodies worked, knew that they lived to be extremely old, some living as long as 10,000 years and that they required the human life force to feed and maintain longevity of their own life. They knew also that they possessed a high level of intelligence and means of communication within the wraith community, or at least within a particular hive ship, was through a form of telecommunication. As abhorrent as Elizabeth found them, she was able to acknowledge that they were indeed, a remarkable race and the higher powers on Earth had been pressuring her lately to begin more aggressive testing on the species.

This more or less pushed her forward in that direction and she was able to admit to herself, that she had deliberately dragged her feet on this request. She simply did not want one on this base.

John watched the expressions as they shot across her face and knew the moment when she had come to a personal agreement with his plan.

"You have a go on this John – don't make me regret this decision. Take Dr Keller with you, as well as a team of marines. He is to be shackled at all times while on this base and will be kept in the holding cell designed by the ancients. We need to give our personnel on this base, peace of mind that a wraith is not going to be wandering around the city. Is that clear?"

He nodded, and seeing that she had not yet finsished, chose not to withhold his verbal reply.

"And you will not bring him back here without the recommendation of Dr Keller. If she does not consider him a suitable candidate for testing, you will go with her recommendation. Are we still on the same page?"

Another nod, and watching her eyes, saw her winding up again.

"And you'll take Teyla with you. She is the only one capable of mind connection with the wraith. Consider her an advance warning system."

He remained where he was, watching her.

"Well John... what are you waiting for?" Impatiently she waved him out of the room, needing to get back to her reports.

"Uh... nothing. Just making sure that you were finished." He flicked her a somewhat cheeky salute that had a grin sliding across her face and she relaxed a little. Yes, some of his decisions and escapades had been deemed irresponsible, but he generally came through with the goods, and his intentions were always in the right place. And he had saved the city more than once, and that was enough for her.

"Go John, before I change my mind..." and her smile widened at his retreating back and cocky walk._ Irrespressible_ she thought, _that about sums him up!_

It was later that afternoon that they arrived at the abandoned laboratory, having taken the time to organise the required medical supplies that Dr Keller would need and the time it took to convince her to come on this little field trip. She was strictly a lab doctor, preferring the comfort of medical and research work conducted in a controlled environment. She had not been offworld many times, and each time she had, it had resulted in something going drastically wrong. As a result, she did not relish the thought of another field trip, especially one that had her performing possible tests on a wraith.

As fond as she was of John Sheppard, those gorgeous eyes of his were not getting him off the hook that easily. Nor was the promise of a fancy earth dinner, next time they happened to be back there... at the same time. She and John had tried to go down that road once before... chemistry being a big factor in relationships with her... and there certainly wasn't any between her and John, hell, he was just a big kid. Cute and funny, but really not what she wanted in her life.

And so it was left to Teyla to appeal to Jennifer Keller's better side. Teyla she trusted with her life, and she let her convince her that it was the right thing to do.

So, standing at the doorway that led into the laboratory, she turned her nervousness into a glare for the benefit of John Sheppard, causing him to back off just a little and wonder at the claws this gentle doctor was suddenly unsheathing.

The wraith was in the same position as when they had last left him, earlier that morning. There was a stench in the laboratory, and Jennifer shivered, seeing the red glow of rodent eyes that stared unblinkingly from a corner of the damp, dark room and pushed herself a little closer to John._ Better the devil you know that the one that lurks in the corner_ she thought and was rewarded with a touch from him, gentle enough that she didn't run screaming out of the laboratory.

The wraith looked up when he heard the key in the door, and once again light was cast into the room, giving off an eerie glow that added to the surreal quality of the scene that had been set before them.

"You bring me a food source... human. This one smells, fresh... young, just the way I like them." His eyes fixed unwaveringly on Jennifer's, and feeling Teyla's hand on her arm, she made herself pause, stilling the desire to turn and run. She heard the click of weapons, and knew that John and the marines had their weapons fully loaded and pointed and that at this stage, the wraith was no threat to her.

She felt Teyla grip her arm hard, and in alarm, turned to look at the other woman. Her face showed pain, and she had squeezed her eyes shut as though to block out something particularly unpleasant.

"Teyla!' John's voice was urgent and he moved around behind the two women, coming up on Teyla's other side, a reassuring hand going to her head. "Teyla? What's wrong?"

Jennifer's glance flickered between Teyla and the wraith and she saw his eyes were now on Teyla, and there was an intensity and a curious intelligence in there that had her staring back, fascinated, at the play of … emotions?.. that seemed to pass through them. _Do wraith even feel emotion?_ Jennifer cast this thought quickly through her mind, disgarding it as soon as it appeared.

"It is nothing John. I am seeking to minimise his control over my mind. I will be fine, please do not concern yourself with me." She opened her eyes now, and looked directly at the wraith, removing her hand from Jennifer's arm and moving towards him, eyes locked.

"Ahh, human. You have a strong mind, that is clear to me. But strong enough? To keep me out? I don't think so... and are you strong enough to enter mine? Tell me, if you do... what will you see? Your death at the hands of myself? Or something more?"

Jennifer saw the flicker of pain that crossed quickly through the eyes of the wraith, and knew that Teyla had accepted his challenge and was attempting to access his mind. His eyes widened in surprise and she faltered, turning back quickly to John, as though needing to tell him something.

He was behind her, his hand reaching for her immediately. "Teyla? What is it?"

She shook her head then, exchanging another glance with the wraith, and Jennifer knew that she did not misinterpret that look. Teyla had seen something in his mind, and had chosen, not to divulge what she had seen and the wraith had acknowledged this.

"Teyla, don't shut me out here. I need to know everything, or we're going in blind. You saw something, you sense something... hell, we've been in the field together too many times for me not to see this. And I see now that you've effectively shut me down. Not acceptable Teyla!" He was angry now, and held her upper arm tightly, a little too tightly and she struggled to free herself.

"We need to get him back to Atlantis John. I cannot tell you anything yet until it is clear in my own mind. I am not deliberately misleading you, it is not the time to tell you what I know. Dr Keller?"

Jennifer moved up, so that she was beside Teyla again. "There are some basic tests that you will need to run before we can transport him back to Atlantis. Can you please take care of these? Do not be concerned. He will not hurt you, not at this time."

Again, that strange communication between Teyla and the wraith, and John felt his anger escalate and he had to exert a significant effort to calm it enough to unfist his clenched hands. Now was not the time to have this discussion, but damn it, he would have it with her, in private, once they were back in Atlantis. He was the commanding officer and needed to be in control of all the facts in order to make informed decisions.

Jennifer moved in closer to the wraith, wary of the strange yellow/brown eyes, eyes that John had become convinced had started changing in colour since they had first captured him. She needed to complete some basic tests, needed mainly to test that his health was of a sufficient standard to undergo the extreme testing that would be required once they got him back to Atlantis. Jennifer gave a small mental laugh. _So how does one know what sufficient standard of health is for a wraith? What precedent have we got to measure these tests? Information from the ancient database, at best an incomplete source of information? Is this really what I spent all that time at medical school for?_ Questions tumbled through her mind as she took out the standard equipment to measure blood presssure, heart rate, temperature, innocuous equipment for a human, but would they really present a picture of any sort for the health of a wraith.

Muttering to herself, she forgot for a moment, who she was performing these simple medical tests on and started when she heard him speak, softly, so that his voice was for her ears only. "You are soft inside, young human. You feel more than the others, carry more pain and more... other feelings. What do you think of when you look at me? Hmmm? Do you feel revulsion for the way I look? Do you feel compassion for my having lived more than 1000 lifetimes? Tell me, young human, tell me what you feel..."

His voice was whisper soft and slid over her like a caress and she felt a shiver run down her spine. Her eyes darted up and looked deeply into the strangely compelling ones in front of her and felt him push his mind slightly at her, saw him wince when he could not.

"What are you called?" John and Teyla came to attention at the sound of her voice, moving in closer so that she was covered from all sides.

"Please... tell me what you are called. I would prefer to address you by name – now, and when we get back to Atlantis." He felt something then, felt her compassion, an unusual feeling to come from a human in contact with a wraith, and again, that glimmer inside him.

"You wish to give me a name. Perhaps you can choose one for me? Yes... I believe that would be acceptable, a name from a human. What do you wish to call me, young human?"

Jennifer thought for a moment, thinking he reminded her slightly, of a kindly english professor she had admired at school, young enough that many of the girls had harmless schoolgirl crushes on him. Mr Todd of the curly brown hair and twinkling brown eyes and she smiled, her face lightening and bringing a hint of mischief to her green eyes.

"Todd, I shall call you – Todd!" Not understanding the reason for her smile, but sensing the memories that moved through her with casual abandon, he felt keenly his own loss of such memories. A life lived so long, and the real memories must be kept hidden.

Hearing Colonel Sheppard grumble something not so flattering beside her, she ignored this and continued with her tests, feeling just a little lighter in spirit also. She flicked another glance at this alien who stood in front of her, shackled now by the race whom he had spent his many lifetimes viewing simply as a food source and saw his keen eyes were fixed unwaveringly on her.

"Todd... pleased to meet you. I am Doctor Jennifer Keller."


	3. Chapter 3 Transformation and Trust

CHAPTER 3 – TRANSFORMATION AND TRUST

Jennifer kept a respectable distance from the shackled wraith she had named Todd as they made their way back to the jumper in order to take him back to Atlantis. He made an imposing figure, even shackled as he was. Of commanding height and stature, his long leather coat, white hair that fell free and well past his waist and his general bearing gave him a menacing air.

_He looks like he would belong in The Matrix, that outer almost primal coldness... yes, I see him now strolling through the hallways of cyberspace..._ and Jennifer had to fight back a more than inappropriate giggle, as she followed along behind, well back from the marines who kept their weapons trained on him. _Now, where the hell had THAT come from Jennifer..._

She sensed John's puzzled glance at her and schooled her face into a more appropriate expression, one deemed more fitting for the chief medical doctor of Atlantis. Unbidden, further comparisons began to spring into her mind and willing them away, she replaced them with chemical compounds, basic chemistry elements and ran through the entire biological breakdown of as many earth bound plants as she could think of. Causing her to bump somewhat unceremoniously into John as they neared the jumper. His hand reached out automatically to still her slight stumble.

"Are you all right Jen? You're acting... strange... to the say the least."

She looked past his concerned expression to Todd, who had been turned around by the marines and was now resting against the jumper outer hull, looking at her with his hooded eyes, eyes that missed nothing. She was drawn to the knowing expression in his eyes, eyes that saw more than the other members of this team accompanying him, knew. And saw his nod of acknowledgement.

_You will explain The Matrix to me one day, Doctor Jennifer Keller?_ And her eyes flashed to his again, a little in fear this time. It was his voice she had heard inside her head.

"Jesus Jen – what the hell is wrong with you? You're jumpier than a teenage girl on her first date. He can't hurt you – he's shackled, we have weapons trained on him, and he's likely weakened by both the crash and lack of 'proper' feeding. Pull yourself together!" John had become a little frustrated, sensing the silent interaction between Jennifer and the wraith and needing to use a show of superiority on his part to attempt to break it. He knew that the wraith as a species had the ability to project images, false images towards their human prey, in an effort to disconcert them and trick them out of hiding and acknowledged that at this point in time, they were still flying relatively blind when it came to any real understanding about them as a race. The ancients had begun compiling data about them, but this was poorly incomplete with any testing that had been started, remaining unfinished and unresolved.

Jennifer clamped her lips together firmly and lowered her eyes, waiting until he had been taken into the jumper before going inside herself. Hoping that she had the tenacity required to complete the testing that Dr Weir would require of her.

He was taken straight to his holding cell upon arrival in Atlantis and Jennifer chose to go to her infirmary, where she began what would be a comprehensive file on the wraith. Entering the data she had compiled to date, she started a little when Teyla came into the infirmary and stood quietly, just looking at her.

"He attempted mind contact with you, didn't he Jennifer? I saw on your face, the moment he did this and saw the expression in his eyes. He is not to be trusted Jennifer, I came to warn you of this. He will place whatever image in your mind that will calm you, and make you trust him, but he is wraith, Jennifer. Whether you choose to give him a name or not, he is wraith! And you cannot ever forget this! My people have spent many life cycles being culled by this enemy, so much so, that we live in constant fear of the next culling. Can you understand that this is the worst way a race of people can live? Feel no sympathy for this monster Jennifer, for he will feel none for you should he ever be in the position of being able to feed from you..." She reached out a hand to place on Jennifer's arm, in a gesture to attempt to the soften the harsh words and Jennifer felt a measure of guilt that what Teyla had said was true.

"I'm sorry if my actions and thoughts anger you Teyla, but I am a doctor, and as such, my pledge in becoming a doctor was to respect life above all else. All life, and that includes the life of that poor unfortunate soul that we hold in that cell down below. I am sorry if this angers you Teyla, but I will respect that pledge I made, and without sympathy, without compassion, I might as well throw this medical degree out the window."

It was not often that Jennifer lost her temper. This situation was a complex one and had already brought about feelings that did not fit into the mould of what was considered the norm. What precedent had been set in medical school for tending to a race of people whose only purpose in life was to destroy your very own? However, she would not compromise her own beliefs and her own values at the request of another and hoped that this would not affect a friendship that had begun to spring up between the two women.

Teyla's glance at Jennifer was hard, and carried more than just a hint of censure, as she turned and left the infirmary. Jennifer sighed. Time for some dinner, then an early night. Tomorrow was a full day and testing on her wraith would begin. _My wraith? _ She shook her head as she left the infirmary.

Sleep did not come easy for Jennifer that night, yellow/brown eyes skimmed enticingly across her eyelids as she sought the sanctuary of her dreams and she knew on one level of her mind, that he came to her now, with a message. A message that she did not have the means to unlock, not yet. He spoke in her mind, his voice clear as thought in the room with her. _You know who I am Doctor Jennifer Keller, you will know but you need to accept this knowledge and not discard it as other's have done in the past. Other's who have had this knowledge and chosen not to record it. You know of whom I speak, I sense this in your mind... and I come to you above all other's because I sense you are the one who can turn the tide of a pattern that is ready to be broken. Accept, Doctor Jennifer Keller, this is your destiny. I can also sense the courage in you, and you will need courage to do what you need to do, of that I have no doubt. Accept..._

The voice drifted out of her mind as smoke tendrils, and he was gone... Todd... from her mind. Sitting bolt upright in bed, she felt the sheen of sweat on her brow and took deep calming breaths and threw off the covers in annoyance. Sleep would not come again this night. Coffee... and lot's of it. Smiling grimly, she dressed and left to head down to the mess to begin the caffeine infusion that would need to be more or less continous throughout this long day.

She began by testing the blood samples she had taken the day before. A base had been set up for this by the ancients, and she had reviewed the data that had been stored regarding their original testing, but found it inconclusive and incomplete and this fact in itself was a cause of concern for her. In everything else they had done and recorded, data was impeccable, finds complete and she wondered why they had managed to record so little on a species that had caused them so much harm.

While she waited for her blood analysis to run through it's programming, she began preparing for the DNA sequencing, setting side samples and slide preparations. Her eyes already ached as did her head. Coffee would not be enough to get her through this day. She dozed briefly, cheek resting on a propped hand, while the initial blood work finished up it's programme and was jerked awake when the timer sounded, indicating the initial testing was complete. The infirmary was extremely quiet in these early hours of the morning and she had no patients at present and her eyes skittered with just a tiny measure of fear, to the darkened corners of the room._ Too much caffeine or not enough? Just check the damn results Jen..._

Eyes widened in alarm when she pulled off the long strip of paper that logged the initial testing results and she felt the build up of tension as she sought to make sense of the information that showed clearly in black and white ink, information, it was now clear now, that the ancients had deliberately kept from them._ Why would they do that? _She thought in horror. _This would have changed everything, the balance of power? _

Picking up the paper with the results on it, she ran from the lab, heading down to the cell, needing to see for herself in his eyes, that what she had found was correct.

The marines looked curiously at her as she burst into the room, and she waved them back. "I need to speak to him, in private. Please?"

"Not so sure that's a good idea doc.. Colonel Sheppard warned us about getting too close to him."

"Please... keep your weapons trained on him from here, he won't hurt me... I need to speak to him now, it's urgent... I'll take full responsibility!"

The marine took a deep breath and motioned slightly with his weapon, that she approach the cell area. At her request, he remained where he was and she approached the bars of the cell now, activated with a special force field designed by the ancients to secure the wraith, as a normal jail cell would have likely not kept them incarcerated for long.

Todd stood in the centre of the cell, watching her and she was startled to note the transformation that had begun. His hair was no longer completely white, it had begun to show brown amongst it, appearing as though streaks had been put through by a hairdresser. But it was the eyes, the reptillian design was gone, they now held a measure of warmth, of … humanity?... and she gave herself a mental shake. She needed to speak to him, not cast fanciful thoughts to the wind. She needed answers and whether he could give them to her or not was not yet clear, but he had a glimmer of understanding of the process that had begun inside him, and a measure of understanding of why this was coming about.

"Difficulty sleeping … human? Is it not the time when your body and mind need to regenerate for the day cycle...hmmm?" His eyes almost caressed her and she waved a hand at him impatiently.

"Damn it Todd – call me by my name. Jennifer. Say my name!"

His eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Hmmm... the human has claws I see... I only sensed the softness inside you. Steel maybe, a strength perhaps that you are not yet aware of? So... Jennifer... you appear a little angry. Is it perhaps that you have discovered something of importance?"

Her eyes snapped sparks at him and she took a step back when she heard his dry chuckle. "I have not met a human yet who has brought me pleasure, other than that of being able to feed off them. You, Jennifer, I believe, are the one who will bring me... pleasure. I find you entertaining..."

The anger snapped back again, and she moved towards the bars, holding the paper in front of her, close to the bars so that he had to move forward to read it, eyes flickering between her angry features and the black writing that appeared on the white paper, held now in shaking hands.

"Aah Jennifer. Tell me what it says. Tell me in your words. I want to hear you say it. I have waited a long time to hear a human say these words..."

"Damn it Todd! You carry the ancient gene, and not just a weakened small portion of it – you have it stronger, than any human we have tested thus far. You are an ancient, aren't you? That is what they wanted to hide – ashamed at what you had become, genetically enhanced from creations of their own experiments. They created you! Then set you free on the galaxy..."

"Jen! Just what the hell is going on in here!" John and Elizabeth ran into the cell holding area, alerted to her presence there in the early hours of the morning by the vigilant marine, who had become concerned by her demeanor.

She whirled around, holding the paper in her hands and John took a step back at the anger in her eyes. "Jen, talk to me..."

She threw the paper at him, turning back to Todd who lowered his eyes, not wanting to see the emotions that shot across her face, then finding no peace there, she pushed up close to John, watching as he tried to make sense of what was written on the paper he now hold.

"There's your damn holy grail John. Everything we've been led to believe about the wraith, is a damn lie. Perpetuated by a race of people whose motive was worse than the wraith."

Unable to keep the raw emotion from her voice, she ripped the paper from his hand, crumpled it then tossed it onto the floor. Dragging a hand through her hair, ignoring both John and Elizabeth, she turned and went to leave the room, pausing only to have this parting shot at them. "I'll find the damn answers - as much for his sake as ours."

And felt his tendrils of emotion as they slipped through her mind. _Curious Jennifer... you feel pain for me... that is a unique feeling...one I will explore, among other such feelings._


	4. Chapter 4 The Holy Grail

CHAPTER 4- THE HOLY GRAIL

It was Elizabeth who picked up the paper she had tossed to the floor and John who, after casting a hard glance at Todd, left the room and ran after Jennifer. She had stopped once she got into the hallway and was resting her forehead against the wall, and felt John's hand as it settled gently on her shoulder.

"Hey... Jen. What the hell's the matter? I've never seen you so worked up! Ancient gene... wraith... Crap! I'm feeling just a little bit out of my comfort zone here."

"You're feeling out of YOUR comfort zone John... Jesus! Do you know what this means? Do you have any idea?"

The hand that rested lightly on her shoulder, now began a light massage, feeling the tension that had begun to build. He took both her shoulders then, and turned her, making her look him in the eye.

"Seriously Jen, I get that this is huge, I really do - but I need the full story, all the information laid out. Not just a random announcement, then hysterics." He put up a hand to stop her as she looked set to begin yelling at him. "And that Jen, is exactly what I mean. This isn't like you – you're normally rational, hell... how many times have you put me in my place for going into a situation without thinking it through – then ending up in your damn infirmary needing you to fix me up?"

She didn't answer straight away, looking down slightly and he placed a finger under her chin to tilt her face back up, waiting for an answer. "Jen, you know I'm right... hmmm?"

Her reply when it came was heated. "Ok Mr Cool Calm and Collected... exactly what would you have done? Marched in there with guns blazing, demanding your answers...? At least I had the good sense to leave my guns behind!"

At that he did manage to look slightly abashed. It was true that she had hit a nerve with that one, but his role at present, was head of security and she had compromised that security by rushing headlong down to confront the wraith with her findings, instead of waiting until morning and requesting a meeting with himself and Elizabeth.

"Ok Jen - it's still a little tender time wise for us to be clear headed about what you have found. I for one, need caffeine, and lots of it and you need to calm down a little, perhaps some sleep as you obviously did not get much of that during this somewhat short night. Go to bed... we'll deal with this in the morning, the real morning. And stay away from your wraith for now..."

_My wraith_ thought Jennifer. _Yes.. he is my wraith.. and oh, so much more_...

She took John's advice, knowing it was in her best interest that the suggestion had been made, and attempted to sleep for a couple of hours. She was once again plagued by visions and a set of eyes that saw altogether too much whenever they looked at her and in aggravation she gave up, going instead outside on her private balcony to look down on the dark water, letting the breeze blow some of the cobwebs from her mind. And waited until morning came, the edges of the sky lightening as sunrise became a vague possibility, bringing the dawn of a new day, the beginning of the end of that long night where everything changed.

John, Elizabeth, Rodney and Teyla were waiting in the conference room when she arrived. Elizabeth's eyes narrowed as she took in the darkened circles under the young doctor's eyes, and flicking a glance at John, he shrugged slightly. She was a big girl, he could advise, but she would do what she needed to do. The same as anyone else in this room would do.

Rodney was pacing rather than sitting, possessing nervous energy that could not often be satisfactorily contained. He had only received this summons out of courtesy being chief scientist for the mission, and now sat abruply when Jennifer entered, tapping his fingers impatiently on the desk in front of him.

"So Jennifer.. wraith DNA, ancient gene... hodgepodge of genetic bubbling pot - what are we looking at here?" Rodney's scientific field of expertise was physics, astrophysics to be precise and he sometimes became impatient with what he considered, the less exacting science of biology, a fact that often had Jennifer and himself coming head to head in an effort to get their respective points across. She looked at him crossly now, not in the mood for his theatrics or his lack of respect for her scientific field and something in her eyes must have gotten through to Rodney, because he promptly shut his mouth and flicked his gaze downward toward his coffee cup, wisely chosing silence over battle.

Jennifer took a deep breath, feeling a little like a bug under a microscope. "I'm not sure how much Elizabeth was told you.." She paused then, catching John's eye and seeing him nod in encouragement, took another breath. "As you all know, the ancient database shows very little information about wraith physiology. We know that they did commence extensive testing at one point and these tests did not ever appear to be completed. This has always been a source of confusion to us - unless the testing had been interupted and they had genuinely been unable to complete it before the city was submerged."

She paused, this time to connect her computer to a holographic interface that allowed for the data that she had stored to show in 4D format, hovering over the top of the circular conference table. Three individuals were shown, above each was listed, Earth human, Ancient and Wraith and a small table beside showed percentages. The percentage bar beside the wraith and the ancient were the same, with a much smaller bar shown beside the earth human.

"These percentages represent the amount of ancient or ATA gene that is naturally found in each of these three examples. You will see notably, that earth humans have a very low concentration of the ATA gene, it is not naturally occurring in the bulk of the population, and only found in a measurable amount in certain humans - Colonel Sheppard notably being one of them. You will see also, the high percentage, found in ancients - this is understandable, the gene is afterall naturally occurring in their genetic makeup, although we do know also, that some of these held higher concentrates than others. What I discovered through testing the Wraith DNA and blood work, is that our wraith"..._my_ _wraith_...she thought protectively "contains ancient or ATA gene as well, in as high a concentrate as is found in the ancients themselves."

Rodney's natural impatience started to show through again. "So Jennifer, conclusion please. Are you saying that it is likely that the wraith and ancient's evolved from the same original gene?"

Jennifer brought up another picture on her screen allowing the hologram to change to reflect her new input. This showed a series of time lapsed pictures...human to wraith and back to human and smiled a rather grim smile when she heard the collective gasp around the table.

"Yes Rodney, the same gene, the same beginning. We know that they evolved from an Irratis bug and the poison from the bug slowly mutated the human form to the creature that we see today. I suggest that this be taken back one step further. I surmise that this was an actual experiment performed by the ancients, an experiment that went horribly wrong. That is why the data is incomplete and inconclusive. There was likely an original group of scientists who performed these experiments and it was kept from the general population, findings, the real findings, were kept hidden."

Elizabeth sat back in her chair feeling a little sickened by what she had heard. "So they create, through an incorrectly performed experiment, an enemy that eventually had the strength to defeat them? The arrogance is staggering. The testing, it was to find out where they had gone wrong, to undo what they had done... but they didn't complete it in time. Full circle, hunted by the hunters." She looked sharply at Jennifer now, noting the gleam that had entered her eyes. "You have an idea as to what the changes occurring in our wraith are, don't you..."

"A glimmer Elizabeth... still a glimmer, but let's just say I may be able to increase it's radius. I need to go down and see him, spend time with him and I know the tests I need to do. I also know that he will help me, likely he either holds the answers we all seek , or is open to finding these answers himself. We brought him here for a reason, and that was to help us understand everything we can about our enemy. What if, he is not the enemy?"

She got up and shut down her computer, needing to leave, talk had made her head begin to ache and she felt the need to return, to see him. She felt edgy, feeling the strutiny of the others in the room and feeling just a little transparent as her resolve became twofold. _Yes, _she thought _I need to see him._


	5. Chapter 5 Meeting of Minds

CHAPTER 5 - MEETING OF MINDS

John stilled her before she left the conference room, needing her to calm a little before going back to cells to talk to the wraith. "Jen, slow down... I'm worried about you. You're exhausted..." She went to push herself away from him, and he applied just a little more pressure, to detain her.

"Have you eaten today? You're like a bundle of nerves..." he removed his hand from her arm, where he had placed it. "It's like you're about to jump out of your skin. You haven't slept, coffee is the only thing keeping you going. Come with me to the mess, I want to make sure you eat."

She huffed a breath. "For God's sake John, I'm not a child, stop treating me like one. If I'm hungry, I'll eat. Now? I just want to see him, I need to start the next stage of testing. I'm close to something, it's just sitting on the edge of my consciousness and I need to reach out and grab it now, before it blows away. Can you understand that John?"

He was concerned with the heightened colour of her skin, and the fact that her eyes seemed overly bright and flicked around restlessly, unable to focus on him. "If you give me any further cause for alarm, and believe me, you're on the brink now..., I will get Elizabeth to step in and remove you from duty until you can get checked over yourself by one of your medical staff. I won't risk the health of someone on this base." She opened her mouth to argue and his glare had her closing it again. "I mean it Jen, call me all the names you want, but this is my call, and if necessary, it will become Elizabeth's. Got that?"

Her abrupt nod did not inspire confidence and his look as he watched her leave was brooding. Something was happening to her, and had started from the moment she had met the wraith held downstairs. He knew that it had more to do with just the discovery of the ancient gene, knew on some level that it was a connection that they had shared, and it had affected the wraith as much as it had affected Jennifer. He contemplating pulling her from the research, but it would be a wrong decision, based on personal feelings. He liked her, hell, he liked her a lot but she had let him know in no uncertain terms, that he was not her type. Didn't stop him looking out for her though..._ those quiet types... the ones's who end up with the biggest issues! Why on earth do I find myself attracted to them then... sucker for punishment? Martyr syndrome? All of the above? Hell yeah..._

Deciding he would get Teyla to talk to her, he turned in the opposite direction that she had gone. She may have decided against food, but it was high on his list of priorities right now.

Todd stood near the bars as she entered the cell area, almost as though he had sensed her impending arrival. "Jennifer... I had hoped that you would return soon. These two..." he waved a dismissive hand at the two marines who stood with their weapons drawn, staring above him so as not to make eye contact "are not the most inspiring conversationalists... and I so enjoy a good conversation. Shall we have one... Jennifer?"

His voice had changed, now the texture of warm honey and she felt it pour over her, shivering a little at the not unpleasant sensation. "You know what I found.. you knew how I would feel knowing what I do? Have you always known...Todd?"

"Aah, the little doctor seeks answers... of course she does." She moved closer to the bars, staring into his eyes, unable to break the contact. She felt the marines move closer, concerned by her nearness to the wraith. "Genetic memory Jennifer. All wraith are born with it. The memory of all that has gone before them, all who have gone before them... Did you know Jennifer, I have been alive in this galaxy for more years than you can conceive of living. I have seen and done things that as a human, you will revile, feel disgust for..." His hand reached out now, hovering uncertainly near her cheek, just inches away and she heard him sigh and heard the snap in the marine's voice.

"Doctor... m'am... stand back from the bars... please!" She risked a look at the young marine, saw the hint of fear in his eyes, fear that had fought a battle over understanding, then she turned back to the wraith. Fear would not lose a similar battle within her. "He will not hurt me. Leave us!"

"I can't do that m'am, and if you continue to ignore my orders, I will be forced to remove you from these premises. For you own safety." She did not wish him to get into trouble, knew that John would likely blame him for her disregard of his orders, so took a step back, regret in her eyes as she looked at Todd.

His attention had never left her and he continued. "I keep another inside, buried. The human side of me." At her surprise, he smiled. "Aah, Jennifer... you think that because of what we do, this has destroyed the remnants of our human side, our ancient gene? That is naive thinking on your part. I feel you are on the brink of discovering just what it is that ensures the monster within, stays as the monster without and keeps the human remnant from becoming... Do you see these changes?" He looked down at his hand that now rested beside his thigh, and lifted it slightly so that it came up palm side out towards Jennifer. "Look Jennifer, open your mind and see and understand..."

"Soon you will be unable to feed... your hand?" Jennifer unwittingly reached through the bars to touch him, hearing immediately the shouted command of the marine, the hiss of the wraith and felt the zap of the energy charge that ensured the wraith would remain safely in custody, but would also severely stun a human if they should connect with it. She felt the darkness move up, the pain of the energy force the equivalent of being hit by a stun weapon, and crumpled to the floor, unaware that Todd had crouched down in front of her and that he looked down at her stunned form with pain in his eyes. "Jennifer..." he said softly and suddenly the room was filled with sound, running feet as John and Major Lorne burst in with Teyla close behind, having been alerted by the marines.

John and Teyla were beside Jennifer immediately, John's voice angrily demanding answers. "Damn it,what did you do to her? Tell me!"

The wraith's softened voice made John rock back on his heels in shock and Teyla faced him with alarm. "Your voice... you continue to change..."

"I did nothing to her human... she touched your energy force meant for my containment. Your weapons did this to her, not mine!" He did not answer Teyla, but attempted to communicate with her via mind link and found the connection weak and tenuous and he recognised that his wraith abilities were beginning to fade. He needed Jennifer's help, understood that she was the one who could provide all the answers and he came close to the bars urgently.

"Human... I can help her, if you let me. Let me touch her. I give you my word that I will not harm her in any way..."

"Are you crazy? It's because of you that she let herself get to this state. You've woven some sort of damn spell around her, she's not thinking properly, her mind has become clouded with some sort of visions that you are putting there as smokescreens."

"Please... Colonel John Sheppard..." at the use of his name, he looked up sharply, his hand still resting on Jennifer's cheek. "Let me help her..."

Teyla glanced sharply at the wraith again, then bent down toward John. "I sense that he does indeed tell the truth John. I don't think he will hurt her. Allow him to do what he needs to do." She looked up again at the wraith, sensing the John's resolve was weakening. "You will not touch her with your feeding hand?" In response, Todd held out the offending hand and Teyla gasped. The slit that was used for feeding, had almost closed. "What is happening to you?"

He pointed at Jennifer. "She knows. Let me help her and she will complete what is required. Please."

John gave a nod to the marines and they deactivated the bars of the cell. The wraith only came as far as the door and waited until John had lifted Jennifer into his arms and feeling no measure of certainty, moved toward the door where the wraith waited. He held up a hand non threateningly and went to place it gently on her forehead, feeling John's hard gaze as if daring him to make a wrong move. "Trust...Colonel Sheppard. One day we will learn that some measure of trust between our races will be needed."

John saw Jennifer gasp suddenly as the hand of the wraith settled gently on her forehead, and flicking his gaze sharply upward, saw that the wraith had closed his eyes and appeared to be concentrating on something. A warmth emanated from his hand, and Teyla coming to stand beside them, saw Jennifer's skin began to regain a more healthy tone, whereas before it had been pale and waxy. She opened her eyes, looking first at John, then at Todd, who removed his hand and bowed slightly, before stepping back into the cell.

"Trust, Colonel Sheppard..."


	6. Chapter 6 Questions or Answers?

CHAPTER 6 – QUESTIONS OR ANSWERS?

John was taking no chances and took her straight to the infirmary while Teyla remained behind with the wraith. Todd had moved back toward the centre of the room, watching Teyla with keen eyes, unable to reach into her mind the way he had done previously.

"Jennifer knows what is happening to you, doesn't she?" Teyla was direct, knowing that the wraith before her would prefer this approach also.

"You and I battled briefly on another field, within our minds. Your mind is strong Teyla Emmagan, alas, I am unable to meet you on this same field any more. A pity, you would be a worthy opponent. I however, now find my strength begins to fail me. I require sustenance..."

Teyla's voice had grown cold. "You know that I will not provide this for you.."

"You foolish human! It is not the life force I require... do you not understand? I need to eat, in the same method as you.. alas... soon I will also require sleep and that is a notion quite foreign to me."

"You are confusing me. Eat?" Teyla attempted to grasp what he was saying.

He came towards her now, needing his words to carry weight. "Food Teyla – this body now requires the sustenance provided by food. It is a part of the change I am undergoing. As soon as Jennifer is well, please – I need to work with her, talk with her. I wish to know if her health returns... if she is all right."

"I will get you your food. Doctor Keller will be here when she is able." She carefully schooled her features to keep them blank and she turned and left thinking _compassion? From a wraith?_

Meanwhile John was doing battle with the somewhat fiesty doctor in the infirmary. She had insisted on getting out of the bed immediately, telling John in no uncertain terms that she was 'fine' and to stop treating her like a baby. He had commandeered one of her medical staff to give her a complete checkup, smiling just a little as she sat on the bed pouting, then as soon as she was given the all clear, he had taken her by the elbow and had ushered her down to the mess, where a tray of food had been placed somewhat unceremoniously in front of her.

"Eat, sweetheart... I'll only stand over you until you do. Once you've eaten, then you can go back to doing whatever it is you are all so hell bent on doing. For now, I'll play the big bossy Colonel and make sure that what's on that tray, goes into your mouth."

"Then you'll let me go?" Hope sparked in her eyes, and she reluctantly picked up a sandwich and took small bites.

"Then I'll let you go!" He sat down opposite her, having snagged a cup of coffee for himself, grimacing just a little at it's bitterness. Hell, he'd had more than his required infusion of caffeine today, thanks mainly to the antics of the lady who sat in front of him. Looking at her now over his coffee cup, he couldn't help but say softly. "You scared me back there Jen.. when I came in and saw you on the ground. I thought he'd hurt you.. damn!"

She saw the feelings in his eyes and her own widened in alarm. "John... we've been through this before. Not going there again... Friends, nothing more" and saw when his feelings gave way to anger again, and he put down his coffee cup a little too sharply causing it to slosh slightly onto the table.

"And what about those damn feelings you have for that wraith down there... I'm not blind Jen, not stupid either." and feeling just that at his ridiculous outburst, he pushed away from the table, and left the room, and she remained seated at the table, putting down the unfinished sandwich to place her head in her hands.

John was right. _I do have feelings for him._

John was also right on another level, food had been required and she felt a little less edgey and a little more focused once when had finished what he had put on the tray for her. Teyla joined her briefly before she finished and stood looking down at her for a moment, before seating herself opposite, the seat barely cold from John's abrupt departure.

"This worries me Jennifer. I am at a loss for what is happening to that wraith we hold down there – I do not understand the changes, do not understand the implications. Please.. will you explain to me. I have spent my entire life seeing them as an enemy of their own making, their own choice, an enemy who took the lives of many of my people over the generations. How is it possible for me to view them as anything but monsters?"

Jennifer pushed to tray back. "Teyla, they became monsters, not by choice, but by design – by the design of our ancestors – yours and mine. We – I, have a genetic responsibility to understand and help fix if I can, what has been done to them. Empathy yes, it is a part of who I am and part of the reason I became a doctor. I cannot help but feel that for him – he did not ask to become what he is, and now he asks my help to understand what he becomes now. I'll give him that help."

She pushed back from the table and made to leave, but Teyla reached for her hand to pause her. "It's more than that Jennifer..I sense this."

Pulling her hand from Teyla's grasp she nodded. "Yes Teyla, it is more."

She found John in the control room and took a breath. She had a request to make and knew that he would not approve.

"Jen, no!" He stood with his hands on his hips, his eyebrows drawn together as he looked down at her, having just asked him if they could move Todd into a laboratory rather than the cell, where she would be able to work with him better. "Not a good idea. I know you think that he won't hurt you, but hell Jen, he is a wraith. You expect me to get past that little bit of information?"

"John, please... have some marines down there with weapons, shackle him if it makes you feel better, but I can't do with him what I need to do, while we have bars between us." She moved closer and looked up at him, almost smiling as she saw his eyebrows draw together even further.

"Damnit Jen, don't look at me like that... it's not gonna change my mind... I mean it!" He ran his hand through his hair, bringing further disarray to it's general unruliness and huffed a breath. She continued to look up at him pleadingly.

"Oh crap... here's how this is gonna work, and you will NOT argue!" and grasping her elbow firmly, he missed the small smile of satisfaction on her face as he led her out of the control room, content to know that her plan had worked, and just as content to let him think the victory wasn't all one sided.

They had Todd moved down to one of the laboratories, and Jennifer, feeling at last that she would be able to make some progress, set up the equipment she needed, and continued to pore over the notes left in the data base, sketchy at most, but at least able to provide her with some sort of starting point. _Misinformation and misconceptions_ she thought, as she scrolled through notes and findings and was aware always, of the hooded gaze of the wraith as he watched her from his position on the bed, for now, shackled so that John would agree to her plan to have him here.

At one point she put down her computer and rubbed her eyes, the sound of metal against metal jerking her out of her musings. John had arrived with two trays of food, placing them both on the table beside her, glancing sharply at the wraith as he did so. "Thought I'd play errand boy, give me a chance to see how things are going down here. Any problems?" He jerked his head at the wraith, and Jennifer smiled and shook her head. Picking up one of the trays, she turned to take it to the bed where Todd lay, pausing at John's question.

"You're gonna feed him? Yourself?"

"He's shackled John, I can hardly expect him to do it.. yes, I'll feed him." She raised the sandwich to Todd's mouth, the wraith's eyes following her closely and John felt fingers of unease travel down his spine at the way the wraith looked at her. Hunger was in his eyes, but not the hunger he would have normally felt, something far more primal, and … male. Disconcerted now, he placed his hands lightly at Jennifer's waist and pulled her gently aside, taking her place and resuming what she had begun.

"Colonel Sheppard – I see trust has not progressed any further from your side?"

"Well y'see... I was fed on once, by your kind... not a really uplifting experience! And still pretty fresh in my memory, so no... trust issues still gonna be a problem I think." He waited until Jennifer had moved away and bent low to whisper.

"And if you hurt her, in ANY way, I'll make sure I share a rather... uplifting... experience of my own with you. Do I make myself clear?" The sandwich finished, John removed the tray, hearing the reply as he turned away.

"Perfectly Colonel. I give you my word, as tainted as you seem to think it is, that I will not hurt her." Glancing back, John started slightly at what he saw in the wraith's eyes and nodded once. They had understanding at least.

Jennifer continued to work through the day, occasionally sitting with the wraith to ask him questions, recording responses, taking more tests, more samples and giving close scrutiny to his feeding hand. She requested that the arm restraints be removed, so that he was still anchored to the bed by his feet and they worked together through that long day, comparing notes and results. At one point, seated beside him on the bed, she felt her eyelids begin to droop and resting her head for a short moment on the mattress, she promptly fell asleep and did not feel the weight of his hand as it rested gently on her head, stroking softly and stayed there throughout her short nap, his eyes never leaving her still form, feeling a protectiveness for this human as he had never felt for another in all his years of existence. When she awoke a short time later, it was to feel his hand and lifting her head to blink sleepily, she felt the hand slide from her head, down to her cheek and settle there, for a short time and she felt herself lean into the touch and saw the smile on his face.

"You needed rest Jennifer... your mind and body are unable to function without this basic requirement. Do you feel refreshed now?" He removed his hand, noting that the marines were uneasy with him touching her, and knew that these observations would find themselves back with John Sheppard before too long. He had to tread lightly with that one. More than distrust, he sensed a desire for ownership in this woman that he himself was beginning to develop feelings for.

"With sleep Todd, sometimes comes answers. When did you last feed... properly?"

Todd appeared to give this careful consideration. "We had been in battle with another hive for a long period of time and this particular battle had been waged over the fact that cullings in the part of the galaxy that we had been inhabiting, were becoming very lean and it was quickly understood that there would not be sufficient food for our hive ship. Sometimes hive ships will do battle with one another when food grows scarce. I had been in hibernation for a long period,as most of my kind do, and when I awakened, we were in battle and I did not get time to feed. This left me weakened, and the Queen sensed that my allegiance to her was not as it should be and I was banished. At some point my dart was struck by a weapon and the last memory I have is awakening on the planet and being taken captive by your soldiers."

"Todd – thisis important... when did you last feed."

"Jennifer, I believe it was before I went into hibernation..."

"Not since? Are you sure?"

"I remember feeling weakened as we do when we come out of hibernation, but it was straight into battle. There have been none since..." He paused then, looking at her intently. "This means something, doesn't it? The changes, the transformation, they have come about because I have not fed... is that the process that your thoughts are taking?"

"With sleep comes clarity. That is how your kind evolved. The experiments that the ancients performed dictated the need to take human essence in order to maintain longevity of life. This was their reason for the experiment – they wanted to prolong their own life. But the tables turned, the wraith began to feed in greater numbers, growing throughout the galaxy, and eventually pushing the ancients to scatter through this galaxy and other's in order to escape what they had created."

Todd's eyes gleamed as the answers she gave indeed did bring clarity and Jennifer continued, flicking a glance at John as he walked into the laboratory. "What the ancient's seemed not to understand, and I cannot for the life of me see why they did not connect the dots on this one... by withholding the feeding process, you would eventually allow the ancient gene to grow stronger and thus the human would re-emerge. The answer was always there, right under their noses,and they never saw it."

John came up behind her. "You're saying, that because... Todd... here hasn't 'fed' for a long period, that he is becoming human again – that the feeding process is the only thing that maintains wraith gene? How can it be that simple Jen?"

"How can it not John? Think about it? It began with an experiment – feed on human essence, live longer. But a monster was created and because that monster grew stronger and the need and ability to feed on humans has since been there, and in abundance – they have not yet been in a position to find out what the withholding of feeding signifies."

Todd spoke from the bed. "Not entirely true Jennifer. Many of my kind have shown weakness through lack of feeding – and they are banished, weakness is not permitted in front of the Queen."

"Yes Todd, but have you ever seen a banished wraith again? What usually happens to him?" His answer was important, and she felt John tense up beside her as if he too sensed the importance of what he was about to say.

"No Jennifer... they are often killed by our own kind, fed on or just killed. We do not see them again, as I would not have been seen again – if it were not for Colonel Sheppard here..." he nodded his head briefly at John, acknowledging his role.

"Saving a wraith... this mission report's gonna be a bitch...!" and John started slightly at the uncharacteristic sound of laughter that rumbled out of the wraith in front of him.


	7. Chapter 7 Solidarity

CHAPTER 7 – SOLIDARITY

Jennifer moved over to the bed and picked up Todd's hand, feeling the tension that emanated from John's body at this gesture, she turned slightly to look at him and felt him calm at whatever he saw in her eyes. She raised the hand to her cheek and leaned in to the caress and watched the smile that played across his mouth, a mouth that had also begun to change.

John muttered behind her. "So Jen - the holy grail huh? Where do we go from here? You've unlocked the key to answers they've spent a lifetime trying to find. But which door does the key unlock?"

"Very profound Sheppard, especially for you..." Rodney entered the room, casting a curious look between the three players in the room, sensing the connection that bound these three people together and the centre of that connection appeared to be one very female doctor, who stood now effectively between two men of two worlds, each asserting a subtle right to lay claim to her. Standing back from it all, he noted the hand that Jennifer held and the smile that played across the mouth of the wraith, while Sheppard stood close to Jennifer with a hand hovering uncertainly near her waist.

_The players are here _thought Rodney _but the rules have yet to be established. Should be one hell of a chess match. Who takes the queen? The rook in the corner or the horse standing three squares back... play on, boys... should be a good game._

"Jennifer, it appears you've managed to crack the code so to speak. But as Sheppard so eloquently put it, just where do you go from there? How do you stop an entire race of wraith from feeding on humans in order to get them to revert back to their human origins? That does indeed leave a substantial list of doors left to unlock. It may not be enough to simply possess the key."

"Glad you could join us Mr Glass Half Empty...now that the hard work is over?" John resorted to his usual sarcasm, generally evident whenever Rodney entered the field.

"Oh, and you've been instrumental in assisting with this hard work, Mr Glass is Half Full? You appear to be more concerned with the fact that Jennifer is holding the hand of a wraith... rather than the fact that Jennifer is... holding the hand of a wraith? Ok, that's just wierd. Jennifer?"

"Rodney. As usual, you arrive in time to make your innane observations and prepare to cast aspersions on my theories and findings. Well take a number Doctor McKay. I imagine that there'll be others who wish to line up to do the same. Afterall, how did I manage it, when an entire city of ancients could only find the means to turn them on, without knowing the means to turn them off. Jealousy Rodney, will be your downfall."

"I am not jealous Jennifer, and I would have been able to obtain the same information you did if I had been set the task to do so - fortunately I have far more important work to do that actually has physical application. How do you apply the information that you have found? By taking every wraith in this galaxy, locking them up and starving them? What do you think we have been trying to do since we got here - prevent the wraith from culling human worlds... and you know just where that got us... they turned their eye on earth..."

Jennifer had dropped Todd's hand and stepped away from the bed to turn and face Rodney. Fisting her hands on her hips, she glared at him, finding his usual arrogance more irritating than usual. "Rodney, damn it. If you've come here just to throw doubts and accusations at me, you can just leave... right now!"

"Ok children.. calm down. Jen, so not worth it, really... you hit the nail on head, Rodney's jealous you cracked the code first. And Rodney, stop being petty and play nice..Or I'll tell the chef to put lemon in your jello tonight..."

John moved so that he stood between them, a buffer against their antagonism and cracked a smile of his own when he heard Todd's laughter from the bed behind them.

"I had no idea that human's were so entertaining..."

"That's because you only see us as a food source..." Rodney, then paused, the look on his face showing the shock that he was actually entertaining the merits of arguing with a wraith, and it was John's laugh that sounded this time.

"Hey! I've got real work to do on base, and I can't stand around here acting like a damn kindergarten school teacher keeping you kids from taking pot shots at each other...I am going to leave... now. Promise me there'll be no throwing of inanimate objects while I'm gone. Jen? Rodney? Todd?" and still laughing he left the room wondering at the absurdity of including a wraith with an obvious sense of human amongst his human responsibities.

The words of the wraith echoed in his mind. _Trust, Colonel Sheppard_ and he pulled himself up. _Well damn,_ he thought. _I might just be starting to._..


	8. Chapter 8 How to Save a Life

CHAPTER 8 – HOW TO SAVE A LIFE?

Two days later, Jennifer, exhausted, stood in the doorway to the laboratory. Todd was no longer shackled to the bed and he barely resembled the wraith that John and Evan had captured several days ago. Transformation was almost complete. He had chosen not to have his hair cut when offered, had left it long but had taken to tying it back in a low tail that now hung sleek and dark brown down his back. He wore the clothing more favoured by humans, oddly enough, the only one on base that seemed to be a match in size, was John so he now wore the black base pants and shirt and she stifled a giggle as she looked at him, a lifetime of difference now evident in this man.

He turned then, as if sensing her watching him, and the smile that came to his face was all human – warm and like melted chocolate, bringing a warmth to his eyes. He held out a hand to her and the marines barely glanced at them now. Taking the hand she let him pull her slightly so that she came up gently against his chest and allowed him to fold her into his arms.

His feelings for this woman continued to confuse him and in the past two days he had become plagued with glimmers of memory, genetic memory at best. On the edge of his consciousness he could still see the woman and the boy, knew that the boy was himself, before experimentation had changed him into something ugly and reviled. He called, mostly in shame, the long, long years of feeding, culling, destroying and spreading the death and destruction – and fear, through an entire galaxy.

_Which memories will prevail_ thought the man who now thought of himself only as Todd, the name given to him in friendship, by the woman he now held in his arms. _The ugliness that I will never manage to completely wash the bitter stench from? Or that warmth, that glimmer of something that proves that we were not always what we became?_ He rested his head lightly on the smaller one in his arms. _And what of this woman? I feel for her as a human might. But are these feelings tainted by gratitude that she had helped me understand that we are not all that we have been? Aaah, the luxury of confusion, that one human conundrum..._

Feeling the rumble in his chest, Jennifer looked up at him, pulling out of his arms.

"What's so funny Todd? Share the joke..."

"Not really funny Jennifer, humour at the moment is strangely misplaced. More irony really... I have spent much of the morning attempting to assimilate thoughts on where we go from here and while I too have a scientific background, I find myself at a loss as to how we can take one successful transformation and turn it into anything more? My race... they are the strongest force in the galaxy at the moment and there are none who can best them. If they continue to be allowed to feed, they will continue to strengthen and the human race will begin to weaken further... until you are no more. New feeding grounds will be sought... are already being sought. It has not escaped the notice of the wraith, that there is insufficient food to feed a fully awakened race. And Jennifer, that is what they are now."

She moved into the centre of the room, needing clarity – and she would not get that being too close to him. He intoxicated her, her senses, in a way that she did not understand. Hell, did not want to understand. She had spent some time last night, another restless night's sleep – going over her feelings in her mind, and had arrived at the not so satisfactory conclusion, that she really did not know what she felt for this man. Was it chemistry? Did she feel the awakening in her body whenever she neared him... certainly a stirring, a connection – but more? Her head began to ache whenever she tried to think about it too much, so chose to push the feelings aside as much as she was able, so that she could attempt to concentrate on finding a solution to a problem that was not going to go away on it's own. Certainly not any time soon.

"Yes Todd, the wraith are a fully awakened race now, and I also know squarely where the blame lies for that one. Us. Atlantis. Our presence in this galaxy brought on the awakening far earlier than it was meant to happen. The human world's had not had sufficient time to regenerate between one culling and the next. There is not enough food to sustain your kind, we know this and in a logical way, this should facilitate the transformation – may have done so already had we not arrived in the galaxy, effectively offering a larger feeding ground another galaxy away. So Todd, a lot of the blame rests of the shoulders of the men and women of this base. Now do you see why I push myself to find a solution? Compassion, yes – for the human's of this galaxy – culling is not something that they should spend their lifetimes in fear of... but guilt that we were instrumental in speeding up that process."

Todd have moved to stand behind her again, and she felt that small jolt of electricity that came into play whenever he stood near her. "You cannot take fault and blame upon your shoulders alone, Jennifer. I believe there is more than enough to share amongst this entire galaxy."

"How so Todd? The human's in this galaxy are blameless..."

Todd was silent for a moment, choosing whether or not he should say what was on his mind. Something had come to him during those hours of thought and he wondered if what he was about to say would anger her. Flicking a glance at the door, he saw that John Sheppard had arrived also. Antagonism aside, they had formed an uneasy truce – and yes, it was uneasy, as was the expression on the Colonel's face as he noted the slight tension between the two players in the room.

"I hope you're playing nice kids... I'm not really in the mood for breaking up a playground fight today..."

Jennifer was frowning now, and chose to ignore John's comment. "You've got something to say Todd – then say it."

"Ok... slightly awkward moment here... should I turn around and leave?" John gestured vaguely toward the door, unsure whether he had interupted something personal or not, preferring to stay in case Jennifer needed back up of any sort, but feeling a little like the third wheel whenever he was with them.

"I think you will find this of interest Colonel Sheppard, what I am about to say, and I think also, that Jennifer will find it cruel. Before I light this particular match, please note that my intentions are not to be cruel and I would prefer that you view them dispassionately in order to see the sense in them that I do."

Jennifer was becoming agitated now. "Dispassionately? Haven't you leant anything these past few days Todd? About being human? Most of what we do is governed by passion, emotion of some sort. It is the very essence that makes us human. You have not fully completed this transformation yet, and you may never arrive at that part of humanity, and if you don't – then that will be a truly sad thing, because Todd, that is the most special part of humanity – feelings, emotions... that is what makes this race so truly unique."

John, a little concerned at her agitation, moved towards her, drawn as always to keeping her calm. He stood near her, not touching, just letting her sense his presence and felt some of the agitation begin to still itself. "Ok Todd, the suspense is hanging about now... impart those words of wisdom before this little nuclear explosion here..." he gestured down towards Jennifer … "decides she's going to erupt..."

Todd made himself hold Jennifer's gaze, daring her not to look away while he told her what she needed to hear.

"The human's of this galaxy are not blameless Jennifer. Yes, they have been victims, I do acknowledge this, but like many victims, their persecution could have been either eliminated or minimised had they chosen to stand up and fight, rather than cowering in fear..." he held up a hand to still her argument, immediately evident by the look of anger that had instantly sparked in her eyes.

"...You are unlikely to want to hear this, in fact you probably WON'T hear this, but you need to listen anyway. You think that this is simply the voice of the enemy making excuses for the annihilation of a species. Not true Jennifer... yes, our perspective will be from different locations. I have been the persecutor and you have been the persecuted, so there will always be a slant from different directions. We would not have held the power had we been opposed in any way. I do not presume to justify nor condone what was done over lifetimes, but give this thought. If at any point, one of those worlds had found the means to simply fight back and drive the wraith away, they would have given pause to attempting to cull that world again. When they receive no resistance, does it not make it easier to come back and do it again?"

John murmured softly. "Ah Todd... you're heading down a shaky path... I believe a certain reviled leader in our world said words along the same lines... and led an entire race of people to destruction through bigotry and bullying. Those words will hold little weight with the people from earth. We have our own monsters on our planet, humans versus humans – and they are just as vile as the wraith, in their own way."

Jennifer had been silent, and looking up now, Todd saw that she had tears in her eyes and he immediately moved toward her, reaching out. In anger now, she held her hands out to keep him back. "You just clearly defined the lines between us Todd. In some things, you will never be fully human..." and ashamed of the tears that came freely now, she turned and ran from the laboratory, leaving Todd and John looking at each other.

It was John who spoke first. "This may come as something of a shock... I do understand what you are trying to say, but Jen? Hell Todd, she's made of softer stuff and she's a doctor – her mandate is to heal, protect – she'll never see the logic in what you have just said. I'm a soldier, trained to fight, and yes, while I should really be ashamed to admit it, I do understand what you are saying. Stand up and fight, take back what is yours – in this case, your lives... But in all fairness, they did not have the weapons to do so... but perhaps, that can be our role in all of this. World by world, teach them to fight, teach them to stand up for their lives and not lay down and simply surrender anymore. Maybe you and I Todd, we share some of the same idealogy... but Jen? She's cut from different cloth. You may have shot yourself in the foot there..."

And was rewarded with a dry chuckle from Todd. "I continue to struggle with your speech patterns Colonel Sheppard... shoot myself in the foot? The thought would not have occurred to me..."

"Yes – well, come to know me better, you'll get used to the way I talk. And Todd... it's John, ok?"

And he left the room, shaking his head. _Trust, Sheppard? Nearly there... Todd..._


	9. Chapter 9 Across the Chasm

CHAPTER 9 – ACROSS THE CHASM

She ended up on the east pier sitting right on the very edge, legs swinging free as she looked down into the dark water, no doubt inhabited by creatures different than those found on earth. _Creatures such as my precious wraith, my Todd... nearly a human, but essentially still, just a creature. _She wiped the tears that still sat damp on her cheeks, unable to reconcile what Todd had said with her her own personal values that had moulded her evolvement as she grew into the woman she was today. How could she even contemplate feelings for a man who until only recently, would take the life essence from a human and leave them an empty bag of dust. Was she really so blinded by feelings that all that he was could be successfully swept under the carpet.

_He's killed more humans in his lifetime that I will ever know in mine. I heal, I protect life at all costs, I hold the sancity of life above all else and yet... I feel emotion...love?...no, not love... if not love, then what? Compassion? He attempts to undersand my feelings and viewpoint, yet I push his away without thought, without cause. I am not a hypocrite, does this make me one? Oh God, my head hurts..._

"Can anyone join in this conversation, or is it a private one...?" She turned her head sharply, knew without needing to look, that it would be John, and was unable to summon a smile. "Sorry sweetheart, you weren't speaking out loud, but that entire conversation crossed your face rather vividly... it didn't take a genius to read the subtext."

"Do you agree with him John? You're a soldier, your mindset is different – yes, you're trained to protect, but you're also trained to fight back, so does that mean you sit on the fence for this one?"

"The truth Jen? God, that's a tough one. I think Todd is right... essentially. If they had tried to fight back, if someone had given them that power to fight back, then the balance of power would be different. Again, if the ancients had tried a little harder to help these world's take back what was rightfully there's... maybe the fault lies with them in more than just the creation of the wraith. There's a lot to consider Jen, and it's a bitch."

Her tears had dried now, and John dropped down onto the pier beside her, sitting companionably alongside, shoulders touching. He nudged her slightly. "Don't take it out on him Jen..."

She nudged him back, a little harder. "Advocate for a wraith John? I guess this day goes down in history...huh?"

"Guess it does Jen... come on girl... we need to give Elizabeth a recommendation. If we're gonna help these world's to fight back, we need to put a plan into action. Then go see him Jen..." He dropped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close and with a half laugh she dropped her head onto his shoulder.

"You know John, it would have been easier..."

"Hmmm? What would?" He smiled into her hair.

"Being with you... easier, that is..."

"Easier than what? Falling in love with a wraith..?"

"Ouch.. yeah... something like that...?"

"Ahhh Jen... life can be cruel sometimes. You and me? You're right... wrong choice... let's leave it at that." He got to his feet, pulling her up with him thinking _liar..._

Elizabeth listened thoughtfully as John outlined the conclusion they had come to and the recommendation the Atlantis begin the long and arduous task of helping the humans of this galaxy prepare themselves for war... so to speak.

"I understand what you're saying John, but I do have some serious reservations with what you suggest. Firstly, with one feeding ground being taken away from them, where is the likely direction they will look for a new one? They know earth exists, and given enough incentive will no doubt find a way to get there. And if not earth, then another world, in another galaxy... So we begin to put in place the means to clean up the mess here, the mess that looks more and more as though it was caused by the anicents, but do we put another galaxy at risk as a result? Will they simply just leave and begin again elsewhere? Or can we safely debilitate their numbers before this happens. We're gambling with human lives here..."

John ficked a glance at Jennifer, but she did not respond, so he acknowledged that she was not yet ready to jump into this particular argument. _She's still fighting her own battles John... you'll have to do the yards on this one..._

"Elizabeth – we're gambling with human lives if we do nothing! This is no roll of the dice. Humans are dying, in large numbers – and the wraith continue to show strength. We have a means to begin to weaken them. It may well be at a cost, but what is the cost if nothing is done?"

Elizabeth tapped her desk, glancing in concern at Jennifer. The young doctor was quiet, too quiet. She knew of the developing feelings between herself and the wraith, had even even earmarked a future conversation with Jennifer about the wisdom in the travelling down the path she was headed. And knew that this must be taking an incredible toll on her.

"Jennifer. I'd like your opinion. A decision must be made when facts are laid out and balanced. Your viewpoint would help provide that balance. You've been working with Todd, the transformation is almost complete isn't it? And once he is unable to feed, there is no turning back for him, is there?"

Jennifer was silent for a few moments longer, as though gathering her thoughts. "Todd speaks of blame, of how the humans from this galaxy could have stood up for themselves and fought back – IF they had been given the chance..." she quantified this quickly, before John could interject. "It's difficult, on earth we proceed with the notion that the strongest species survive, the strong prey on the weak, the balance is found and that appears to be through design. Natural design. The balance here, was not brought about originally through natural design, but through genetic manipulation - the balance of power that exists, is a manufactured one. If we step in and give humans the ability to fight back with enough force to ensure that future cullings on their planet do not happen, are we simply restoring the balance as it should be, or further manipulating these people in something that they are not ready to be? We will be forcing technology on them that will start a new chain in their process of evolution. I have to consider that and whether it is in their best interests."

John's anger flared. "Is dying in their best interest Jen? Because if we do nothing, then that is all they will have left to do. Their numbers are dwindling... and if they continue to diminish, the wraith WILL find new feeding grounds anyway, so it's a rock and a hard place. We can help or we can sit back and do nothing."

Jennifer stood up to go. "I have no input in your decision Elizabeth. This is on you – I don't know if I can support what John suggest we do, but I'll do my best to understand it."

She got up to leave, not sparing a glance at either John or Elizabeth, and knowing she needed to see him, went straight down to the laboratory. She didn't say anything when she walked in, just stood in the doorway looking at him for a long time, then turned to the marines who stood guard at the door. "He'll be leaving this room for a while. Inform Colonel Sheppard if you wish, but he'll be with me, and if you feel the need to follow, at a discreet distance, for security – then by all means, do."

She held out her hand to Todd, and curious, he moved towards her and took it in his own. "Jennifer? You appear a little calmer than when I last saw you. Have you come to a decision?"

"No decisions for now Todd, I need to walk, some fresh air.. talk. Come with me?"

"It would be my pleasure Jennifer..."

They looked just like any other young couple, hands clasped, leaning close to one another as they walked leisurely along the east pier, two marines following a distance behind. He sighed contentedly as he pulled her closer and dropped his head against hers, taking in the scent of her hair and felt those stirrings... as he did whenever he touched her now. She tipped her face up now, so that he could see the serious expression in her eyes.

"What will become of us Todd? Human and wraith... we walk a rocky path."

"Jennifer – what do you feel for me? You have not put into words, these feelings. They seem to upset you, to confuse you – yet you do not give them a name?"

"Aaahh Todd, the complication of the human mind. It is a conundrum in itself. Simplicity in feelings is difficult. You want me to put in words, give them a name? I tingle whenever you touch me..." in response his hand drifted softly down her arm and moved to her waist, pushing up lightly under the shirt she wore so that he touched bare skin, feeling the shiver that accompanied his touch.

"Like that Jennifer...?"

"Yes Todd... like that..."

"Tell me more about these feelings, so that I may understand them."

"When I feel the movement of your lips against my hair as you talk, I wish..." she paused, finding it difficult to put into words what she felt.

"You wish what Jennifer... tell me..." His lips moved against her hair.

"I wish... I wish that your lips would move lower, across my cheek, then I wish... that you would kiss me..." She turned slightly so that his lips did indeed move from her hair and felt them soft and warm on her cheek and closed her eyes, waiting... hearing him murmur softly.

"Like this...?" and felt them settle over hers and she sighed, her mouth opening slightly so that she could begin to taste him, letting their tongues dance a small rhythm. He pulled her closer, hands moving freely now and she felt his need, her eyes opening suddenly to look at the hunger that showed in his eyes.

His lips left hers and she felt his smile as they moved softly across her cheek. "These feelings that I am experiencing... they involve changes to a certain part of my anatomy. I have genetic memory Jennifer, I understand the mating ritual..." and heard her giggle that had him looking down at her in surprise.

"A little word of advice Todd.. don't call it that, not around women anyway... and she pulled his head down so that she could whisper in his ear, pulling back to see the surprised expression on his face.

"Oh..." was all he said. Then... "May we do this... soon? I believe that you will be a very good teacher..."

She wrapped her arms around him and lay her head against his chest. "Soon...very soon."


	10. Chapter 10 A Plan in Action

CHAPTER 10 – A PLAN IN ACTION

She came to an understanding that night, alone in her bed. She would support John's plan to begin training and outfitting each human world with the means to defend themselves. Perhaps in the whole large scheme of things, this would not amount to much and god knows, it would take a long time to achieve any desired effect, but it was doing something, and that had to be better than sitting back and watching the anihilation of an entire race of people.

There was another understanding she came to that night. She was in love with Todd, damn it, in love with a wraith. _We can't choose whom we come to love, and would I have chosen him if this had been the case? He offers stimilulation both mental and phsyical that I have not found in any male of my own race, he challenges me and makes me question everything that I had come to think was the utter truth. I could spend my life with him._

She went straight to the laboratory and told the guards that Todd would be leaving the laboratory – permanently, then taking him by the hand she led him to Elizabeth's office where she had called a meeting, inviting John to be there as well.

His eyebrows were raised as he noted the hand she held and the look on her face. _She's made her choice_ he thought, with not just a little sadness_ but damn, she looks happy, and damned if we shouldn't take happiness where we can find it._ Elizabeth looked pensive and John knew that the harder sell would be to her.

"You want him removed from the laboratory – permanently. Have you thought this through carefully Jennifer? Sufficient testing has not been completed yet, you still do not know what the possibilities are for him to revert back to any of his old tendencies – and Todd, I'm sorry if I speak around you here, but Jennifer chose to include you in this meeting, so you'll just have to deal with the way this goes down." He nodded in acknowledgment, his eyes flickering between Jennifer and Elizabeth, her hand held tightly in his.

"And he will be living in your quarters?" Jennifer blushed slightly, wishing that she had perhaps discussed this first with Todd, as she noted the sudden lift of his eyebrow.

"Yes Elizabeth... and I'm sorry Todd, I should have discussed this with you first."

Todd smile was quick to allay her fears. "No discussion would have been necessary Jennifer. I want what you want..." and this comment had John clearing his throat rather loudly, feeling just a little embarassed at the direction this conversation was taking.

"Ok, on another note, and to save all our embarassment. What do you want us to do Elizabeth? Where do we start? Pull a planet out of a hat? Or is there a more scientific approach we should be taking? Todd? Perhaps your input in this area... In order to do the most damage, which planet should we begin our little experiment on?"

Todd's face was pensive and he appeared to give this some thought. "I cannot give you a specific planet. Each hive ship targets different areas of the galaxy, and there is a more or less unspoken agreement that it is a territorial thing. I would suggest an overview of your data base to find out what the most populated planet is to the nearest hive ship, and perhaps ask the question of them if they would be willing to actually do this. You cannot force the humans to comply, and there will be some that won't agree... and your focus needs to be on the ones who find the plan acceptable."

"You're right Todd. We need to meet with as many leaders as possible and set out our plan. The best way to target this is to have a large round table conference, here on Atlantis. Send out invitations to all the planets with sustainable human life and make it clear to them that we are their allies and have a possible solution for future wraith cullings. Then we go from there."

Jennifer nodded. "I'd be happy with that Elizabeth. It's pro-active, but not aggressive and it gives them a choice."

Elizabeth nodded towards John. "You haven't said anything John. What do you think?"

"I think we may have just turned the tables on this galaxy domination thing the wraith have going, and the grand plan... came from a wraith... and his wench..." This last was said with a grin in Jennifer's direction and she shrugged her shoulders, knowing he meant it in good humour.

Elizabeth pushed her chair back from her desk, a smile on her face. "Thank you... all of you. I feel at last we are making some progress and I can take a positive report back to earth. It's been a trying few days for everyone. I'll begin the communication process, I'll set up with Rodney and yourself John, viable planets and contacts and we'll have ready a standard communication video link to send through to all the chosen gate addresses. Then sit back and see who accepts our invitation. From there John, it'll fall on your shoulders to organise military and security protocols, weapons, training. If this goes ahead as planned, we'll need more marine squads from earth to facilitate the training and implementation of weapons. We'll also look into the possibility of securing a ZPM for each of the world's who enter the coalition and I know Rodney would be more than happy to reverse engineer the design for a weapons platform chair. This should be a pre requisite to each world, with a full complement of drones. This will be their first defence against the hive ships."

John laughed, looking at the enthusiasm that shone out of Elizabeth's face. "Just who is the military commander on this base... refresh my memory? Perhaps you could leave some of the military ideas to me... but I like where you're going with that. You're right Elizabeth. This could work."

When he looked back, he realised that Jennifer and Todd were no longer in the room and he shrugged his shoulders at Elizabeth, noting that she looked more than just a little pensive at their sudden departure.

"You're worried Elizabeth?"

"How can I not be, John? She knows nothing about him, she's trusting her heart to a creature who spent his entire life, and it has been an extremely long one... killing our very kind. I find it hard to get past that, although I have come to trust him, for all intents and purposes.. but to trust him with her heart? That is huge John."

John gave a moment's pause. "When I first met him Elizabeth, I wanted to kill him. Every instinct in my body scream 'pull that damn trigger!' - but I let him live. Why is that? Did I sense then, that he would be important to us? Perhaps in a subconscious way, he reached out to me – he certainly did to Jen, from the very beginning. I have come to trust him, and you know that trust is a hard one for me... it doesn't come easy. I have even come to like the guy – hell, he has a wicked sense of humour, and when I look at him now, I see the little boy who never got to play with the other kids toys..."

Elizabeth's eyebrows were raised. "That's profound John, and very unusual, coming from you. But I have come to trust your instincts, mine are just a little rusty from disuse. I just hope that Jennifer doesn't lose her heart to him for the wrong reasons."

"It's her choice, Elizabeth, and if she's making a mistake, it's hers to make." He turned to leave. "Let me know when you have a 'go' for the coalition. It's time our presence in this galaxy made a difference."

As Elizabeth and John spared a thought for the budding romance between Todd and Jennifer, they however did not spare a thought for them. They stood at the doorway to Jennifer's private quarters now, she had just opened the door and was about to enter, when Todd stopped her, placing a hand onto her cheek, rubbing softly.

"You are sure about this decision you have made Jennifer? You wish to share your home with me?" She pulled him lightly, so that he came easily into the room, letting it slide shut behind them, then moved into his arms, which automatically slid around her, pulling her tight against him. Looking up at him, she smiled and his eyes were clear and warm as they looked down at her happy face.

"I wish to share more than that with you Todd. I wish to share my bed... my life." She moved out of him arms, pulling his slightly so that he was closer to the bed and pushing him gently, made him sit down. Her face became animated as he moved away to grab her lap top, bringing it over to the bed, dropping down beside him and scooting up against the headboard, waiting until he had done the same thing. "I have a little surprise for you..." His head bent closer to hers, watching as she turned on the laptop and inserted a flashdrive. "Something I want you to watch..." Snuggling closer to her, he watched as images came onto the screen, a man with dark hair and a long leather coat and he looked at her in surprise. "Who is that Jennifer...?"

Giggling now, she replied. "Remember when you asked me about the Matrix? When you intruded into my mind to see what I was thinking?" Nodding at her, she laughed, then pointed at the screen. "Well Todd, this is the Matrix..." and moved closer to him and continued explaining the movie as it unfolded on the screen. At one point Todd turned to her, just watching her face.

"Jennifer?" She stilled, sensing something in his voice. "Sharing your bed? This would mean something else, would it not?"

Her reply was whisper soft. "Yes, Todd, it means something else..."

He flicked off the laptop and pushed it away from them, his hand now running up the length of her leg until it came to the waist band of her pants and lingered there, featherlight fingers trailing just inside the fabric causing her breath to hitch.

"Does it mean something like this Jennifer?" His mouth was moving down her neck and his other hand had found it's way under her tshirt and sensation after sensation began to overwhelm him, feelings he had only a genetic knowledge off, emotions that pulsed and lingered and centred, always, on the woman in the bed beside him. And then her hands had begun removing his clothes and those sensations intensified and when they were finally both naked did she finally answer him.

"It means this Todd... and more, so much more... let me show you..." and skin to skin he finally felt what it meant to be fully human for the first time as an ancient gene throbbed through him with tingling awareness and he remembered everything that had happened in a 1000 lifetimes before and looking down at the woman beside him who drove him with her need, he thought of the one life time to had to live now, and knew that it was only lifetime he would ever need.

This was what it meant to be human and he would pledge his fight against the very race from which he had been transformed, for the love of this woman.


End file.
